Three-row cornstalk-cutter



Patemtewt June 20, I899.

A. A. NILSUN &. J.. VEN. THREE ROW CORNSTALK' CUTTER.

(Application filed Sept, 17, 1895;!

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IINTTED STATES PATENT *EEicE.

ANDREW A. NILSON AND JENS JOHNSON VEN, OF ELK POINT, SOUTH DAKOTA.

TH REE- -ROW CORNSTALK-CUTTEFL' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 627,135, dated June 20, 1899.

Application filed September 17, 1895- Serial No. 562,788. (No model.)

To (0Z6 whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ANDREW A. NILSON and J ENS JOHNSON VEN,citizens of the United States, residing at Elk Point, in the county of Union and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Three-Row Cornstalk-Outters; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and

'to the letters of reference marked thereon,

which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to harvesting-machines; and it consists in an apparatus for cutting standing corn, the novel features of which are hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in.the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of our improved three-row cornstalkcutting machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view, and Fig. 3 is a detail showing the front knife and one of its supporting-quadrants.

The frame of the machine consists of longitudinal sills A, supporting a flooring B, forming a platform, and carrying near its middle two cross-bars O, the outer ends of which project beyond the sills A and support two side rails D, extending in front and in rear of the cross-bars O. The rear axle E is rigidly secured to the back part of the frame, the wheels 6 runningin the spaces between the sills A and the rear ends of the rails D. The front axle F, carrying wheels f, is pivotally attached to the front end of the frame by a king-bolt f Back of the front axle a bar G is secured transversely to the frame. Its proj ecting ends g are bent backward at an oblique angle and attached to the front ends of the side rails, which are beveled inwardly to the same angle as the ends g.

Rigidly attached to each side rail is a broad knife-blade H,projectin g out horizontally an d having a beveled front edge running backward at an oblique angle to the side rail. seat I is mounted on the platform of the machine adjacent to each knife.

The machine is designed to be drawn by two horses, who travel in the spaces between the rows of corn, one row being between the horses. To prevent this middle row from be ing injured by the tongue of the machine, the tongue is made double, as shown, consisting of two parallel tongues K, hinged at their rear ends to the front axle F and spaced apart at the front ends by a cross-bar 7c and diagonal braces The cross-bar 70 supports a neckyoke L. The singletrees M are connected by rods m, running through eyes f on the axle F, with the ends of a doubletree N pivoted by a bolt 01 to the frame of the machine at a point near the line joining the forward ends of the knives II. This brings the point of draft close to the point of resistance and insuresa steady movement of the machine without any tendency to slew from one side to the other as the resistance increases or decreases on one side more than on the other. It is in this respect especially that our machine is superior to those heretofore known to us.

In order to cut the middle row of corn, we attach a knife II to the double tongue. The

front edge of the knife is diagonal to the line of draft. The ends of the knife are secured to quadrants P, pivoted'to the tongue by bolts R passing through the end of radius-arms p. The quadrants are slotted at p and a bolt R projects from the tongue through the slots. By loosening these bolts the quadrants can be adjusted up or down to vary the height of the knife.

A sheet of thin metal S is fastened along its front edge to the knife and has its rear edge wrapped around the rod 0, on which the tongue is hinged. This sheet forms a platform for the feet of the person seated on the front seat I,which is mounted on the axle adjacent to the front knife. It also prevents the cut stalks from dropping on the ground in the rear of the knife Il'. When the knife is adjusted up or down, this sheet can bend to allow for the change in distance between the knife and the rod 0.

In operation the machine is driven through the cornfield, the horses walking on each side of a middle row of corn, which is straddled by the double tongue. The knife H cuts the middle row, while the knives H cut the adjacent rows, the stalks being guided to the knives by the oblique rods g and the rails D.

With this machine three men can out three rows of corn at once and with great rapidity.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is

1. In a corn-cutter, the combination with the frame, of an axle F pivoted to said frame at its middle, a rod 0 secured along the front of said axle, adouble tongue K hinged to said rod near each end thereof, a knife H having its front cutting edge diagonal to said rod, quadrants P having slots 19 and radius-arms p attached to the double tongue by bolts R R and fastened to the knife H at each end thereof, andasheet of metal S extending rearwardly from the knife and hinged to the rod 0, substantially as described.

2. A three-row corn-cutter, comprising the combination with the sills A, of the flooring B, the cross-bars C, the side rails D, the transverse bar G, having backwardly-tnrned oblique ends attached to the forward ends of the said rails, the whole forming a substantially fiat platform, the seats I mounted on said platform near the ends of the side rails, the knives H rigidly attached to the side rails alongside of said seats, the front axle F pivoted to the platform, the seat I mounted on said axle, a double tongue hinged to said axle, and a knife H adj ustably mounted between the two parts of the tongue, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

' ANDREW A. NILSON. J ENS JOHNSON VEN. Witnesses:

O. L. ANDERSON, OLE SUNDERsoN, Jr. 

